Alias To Strengthen General Motors' Design Centers

    News Editors

    TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2005--

    Alias Professional Services To Help General Motors Achieve Design Globalization

    Alias(R) announced that it has broadened its strategic relationship with General Motors (NYSE:GM). Alias will provide General Motors Design Centers with professional services and solutions including process development, commercial software engineering, onsite support, Alias StudioTools(TM) software, software maintenance and Alias PortfolioWall(R) software, a design collaboration tool.

    This expanded role will be evident in all GM Design Centers, including those located in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Europe, Australia and Asia Pacific. These centers work on designs of all GM Brands.

    Global Strategic Partnership

    "We have used Alias StudioTools technology in our Design Centers for nearly two decades and have worked closely with Alias to develop and enhance the features and functionality critical to our design process," said Terry Kline, Global Product Development Process Information Officer, GM Information Systems & Services (IS&S). "Alias has become a major contributor to the success of our design visualization and workflow efforts, enabling our teams in concept design and technical surfacing to work faster and more efficiently, with more emphasis on design than software applications. Their increased involvement represents a significant step forward in our partnership, and will be extremely important in keeping GM at the forefront of vehicle design."

    Doug Walker, president of Alias, said: "This increased involvement with GM, our longest standing customer, is a prime example of how Alias can partner with companies to increase their competitive advantage and bring better products to market faster. Alias will not only deliver significant, ongoing technology enhancements but also provide knowledge and expertise in developing best practices and processes. This expanded direction will better help GM advance its business opportunities and build its position as a world automotive leader."

    Alias Strengthens Global Design at GM

    GM is taking aggressive efforts to leverage the combined creative talents of its designers worldwide, essentially building one virtual global design center. Alias' increased involvement will be seen in several projects, including optimizing the operation and management of design collaboration and visualization, data quality assurance, 3D data evaluation, and overall workflow enhancements. For example, Alias is providing PortfolioWall software for use in GM Design Centers all over the world. PortfolioWall is a leading edge collaboration tool that is an integral component in the management review process, simplifying the organization and interactive presentation of designs and helping executives and managers to more easily review work in progress.

    To meet GM's specific needs, Alias will also make enhancements to Alias AutoStudio(TM) software, part of the Alias StudioTools family, which has been used by GM since 1985 as its standard conceptual design, 3D modeling and rendering software. The accelerated development work will link AutoStudio with UGS(R)CAD and Product Data Management (PDM) processes by allowing GM designers and sculptors to access engineering data from a centralized, global source.

    About Alias Professional Services

    To remain competitive in today's markets, customers continuously demand faster turnaround times, lower costs and higher quality. Alias Professional Services can deliver on those needs every step along the way. Alias Professional Services include Custom Engineering, Renderfarm Services, Product Data Management Integration, Onsite Support, Skills Assessment, Benchmarking, Training and many other services tailored to the specific needs of varied customers in the design and entertainment industries.

    About GM

    General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader since 1931. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 324,000 people around the world. It has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 200 countries. In 2004, GM sold nearly 9 million cars and trucks globally, up 4 percent and the second-highest total in the company's history. GM's global headquarters are at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

    About Alias

    As the world's leading innovator of 3D graphics technology, Alias develops award-winning software, custom development and training solutions for the automotive, industrial design and visualization markets and film and video, games, web, interactive media and education markets. Alias also offers a powerful range of services for new to advanced users in the most demanding environments. Learning Tools and training, support, and professional services help meet rigorous production deadlines.

    The company's design customers include AT&T, BMW, Boeing, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Italdesign, Kodak, Kwikset, Mattel, Price Pfister, Renault, Rollerblade, Sharp, Trek Bicycle, Teague and Timex.

    Please visit the Alias website at www.alias.com or call 1-800-447-2542 in North America. International contact numbers include: Northern Europe, Middle East and Africa, +44 (0) 1494 441273; Germany, East & Southeast Europe, 0049 89 31 70 20; Italy, 39 039 6340011, France, Spain and Portugal, +33 1 44 92 81 60; Japan and other parts of Asia Pacific, 81 3 5797 3500 and Latin America, 770 393 1881.

    (C)2005 Alias Systems Corp. ("Alias"). All rights reserved. Alias, the swirl logo and Portfolio Wall are registered trademarks and StudioTools, the StudioTools logo and AutoStudio are trademarks of Alias in the United States and/or other countries. General Motors and GM are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. UGS, NX, and I-deas are registered trademarks or trademarks of UGS Corp. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Alias, 210 King Street East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5A 1J7, Tel: 416-362-9181, Fax: 416-369-6140.

    Images available at www.alias.com/forthepress/studiotools



    General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM)

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CONTACT: Alias Press contact: Donna Teggart, Director, Global Communications (416) 874-8592 dteggart@alias.com www.alias.com

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